05-Apr-17 "Online doctor discovery and healthcare tech firm Practo will soon open its platform to insurers, pharmaceutical and medical device companies. The company's CEO Shashank ND said "we are looking to be a platform that connects any two stakeholders in the healthcare ecosystem, be it patients, providers, insurers, medical devices or others". [image: Practo]

04-Apr-17 Fitbit has decided to increase its investment in marketing, promotions and distribution in India, said Steve Morley, vice president and general manager of APAC at Fitbit Inc. The company, which launched its products in the country in July 2015, has products in over 1,000 stores across 90 cities, while customers from over 350 cities have bought their products. [image: ET Healthworld]

03-Apr-17 HealthCare atHOME plans to use USD 40mn in private equity investment to capitalise on the home healthcare market in India that is forecasted to reach USD8.4 bn by 2020. The company currently has around 800 employees and plans to scale to 15,000 in three years as well as increase its geographic coverage in India. [image: Healthcare atHome]

30-Mar-17 A USD200 mn investment from True North will fund KIMS Group's growth plans across India and the Middle East as the company strives to "become one of the largest healthcare providers in India and the Middle East in the next 3 to 5 years". KIMS is a hospital chain in Kerala with 1,500 beds across 6 hospitals.

29-Mar-17 Indian Parliament this week passed the Mental Healthcare Bill marking a paradigm shift in how people with mental disorders are treated in India. The bill will decriminalise suicide by mentally ill people and provide the right to better healthcare for people suffering from mental illness. Moreover, it will allow for mental health interventions through insurance. [image: ET Healthcare]